About

When Jonathan Perry first saw an old photograph of his grandfather grilling outdoors, he immediately thought it would make a compelling statement piece for a restaurant. In the picture, Jay Pappa, as he was affectionately called, grins toward the camera—shirt off, drink in hand, straw hat tilted to the side, tending to the grill donning a forest green apron with black and white checkered trim. Little did Perry know that this same image would be his entryway into what has become Jay Pappa’s, a new restaurant specializing in great steaks, seafood, and spirits.

Both of Perry’s grandparents were incredibly influential in his life. On his mother’s side, his grandfather started CenturyLink, so working at the company had always been a goal. After graduating from the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a degree in marketing and business management, he began working in the telecommunications company. After fifteen years of service, he realized that following in his grandfather’s footsteps really meant that he should pave his own path.

Cooking and entertaining have been a family staple for years, so when he saw the picture of his grandfather grilling, he started looking for restaurants for sale. One of the properties that stood out was curled up between Levee Drive, River Landing, and Bayou Desiard. Not only was the location optimal for a favorable flow of clientele, but its potential was the most alluring.  Perry was able to conceptualize a space that would make his grandparents proud.